Anyone know if they're going this year or not yet? With the agenda yet to be published, it's hard to know if I even want to go. This past year's WES was a slight improvement over the previous year - and I certainly took more from the vendor showcase this year - but I don't believe that having another BES 4.1.x oriented event will even come close for me even thinking about justifying the costs to my management. If they add an Argon-oriented agenda, focused on all aspects of the hopefully-released-by-then server, then I think my chances are infinitely improved (and I'll be much happier).

Anyhow, just curious who else is going.

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I won't be going this year for two big reasons, in reverse order of importance.

1. As a result of heavy cutbacks, I'm now the only IT person in my company and they wouldn't let me be away from the office for 4 days.
2. Way too close to H's due date.

WES 2008 was definitely a good experience for me. For any first-timers who are on the fence about going, I'd urge you to go. Two words: Russian Contortionists.

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I am not even going to bother asking to go, since I'm sure the answer will be no. Our company has been making so many people cuts, and we're closing a manufacturing facility close by.

We're even starting mandatory 4-day work weeks this week - as in the HQ building (which includes a Steel, Panels, and Wood plant, as well as all of the office workers) will be CLOSED on Friday. Nobody except essential people to support the business (like a couple of Helpdesk and security employees). For the rest of us, if we want to get paid for Friday we can use a vacation day - or no pay.

Hopefully the 4-day weeks will not last more than a month..... So no WES for me.

__________________
You may know me as Juwaack68

I am not sure I can justify the expense, though I will of course ask. Going to get my TAM involved to justify my visit as well. I have family not too far away so I an take vacation during that time as well.

Oh my, Jules, that sucks. When you said 4-day work weeks, I was thinking 10-hour days. YUCK!

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My employer sends a bunch of people to WES ... hopefully I can work my charm to make it on the list!

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If WES was at beginning june I would work it into the honeymoon. But it isn't

Honeymoon in Orlando

Now that, my good friend, is just sad. If you were going to try to work it out into your honeymoon (congrats, btw), I would smack you upside the head right when I saw you.

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I'm awaiting word as well and though I'd find most use with BES 5.0 topics I wish they offered some more in-depth sessions as many came off as a little more then sales pitches. Overall though there is a ton of knowledge to gain and the networking is a added bonus.

We have a major project extending internal information to Blackberry going on so likely myself and a few other people will attend but you never know in this economy. I had a great time last year.

Any word on the certification track and when the next revision will be offered as I believe they were valid for one year?

I would gladly work 4 10-hour days if they let us - rather than having the choice between a 20% pay cut for the week or using precious vacation.

I am still happy to have a job, of course, but man, it just seem to get worse and worse.

I DO get to go to San Francisco in a couple of weeks for work (Thurs to Wed), so will have fun with that.

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You may know me as Juwaack68

Yep. Already got approval to go. Flight booked and paid for as well as having the hotel reserved. (Heck, I reserved the hotel for the week in June '08 to ensure I got a foot in the door!) Just waiting for the particulars to be announced WES 2009 for the hotel discount codes.

Although, with some phone calls to the Marriott, I was able to obtain the name and number of the Director of Group Sales who is coordinating the event on behalf of the Marriott. Already placed a polite phone call to her Voice Mail to see if I can go ahead and change my reservation to the RIM rate and in a newer suite.

I hear that Stu might make it back this year. Those of us from 2007 all remember how much fun he was!
~DBB

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DarthBBerry
BES Admin & Wireless Sith Lord
WES 2007, 2008, 2009 Survivor

well the boss said we could each have a day to ourselves to do what we want so i thought why not check out a day at WES. unfortunately the time slots don't match up

I will not even bother asking unless 5.0 will be the major focus. If it is not, then there is no point in going. I think if I were to push hard enough like Darth did with his very studious letter to his boss, I might be able to swing it. I'll probably reserve a hotel just in case.

No 5.0, no go for me. I hope RIM realizes that there are a lot of Admins in that same boat.

I've got a room reserved just in case, but no official approval from work yet. Definitely would prefer 5.0 to be on the table rather than discussing 4.1.x any further. If I do finalize and make the trip, I'm definitely going to use it to go through the certification.

AUTiger92
(AlanM from BBF)

As someone that has been waiting for 5.0 for a while and has been to more than 1 Microsoft conference where products yet to RTM have been featured ... I hope RIM follows suit.

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Boss just turned WES 2009 down for me. Said he can't have me out of the office that long and can't justify the cost of sending me on vacation unless I want to go myself with my own vacation hours, paying my own way, etc.

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audit

Coincidentally I was pondering this exact question this AM and was going to post something today. I'm with Otto on this--if they are not going to focus on 5/Argon then I am not all that interested in going from a technical standpoint. I learned a pretty good amount last year, but I have learned as much in other to-remain-unamed forums on BlackBerry and other BlackBerry functions through the year. Its hard to justify the expense when the company I work for has recently tightened the belt like everyone else.

That said, I would love to go again because I had so much fun last year. That's a little hard to put into the proposal for the boss though.

I'm going to wait until the agenda is announced then decide if I want to push management to let me go.

Wow, attendance is going to be low this year. I most likely will not get approval this year either.

Are ya'll telling me that I'm gonna be the only one of us there? WTF am I gonna do for a week without none of you?

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DarthBBerry
BES Admin & Wireless Sith Lord
WES 2007, 2008, 2009 Survivor

Learn something?

__________________
audit

Hopefully I can make it there this year too! Last year was a blast.

Oh, HAI!

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Welcome Mr. Monkey! Glad to have you here ... hope you'll be sticking around.

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http://blog.port3101.org/hdawg/

The views expressed by me on Port3101 and its affiliated sites are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.

as long as you keep the bananas comin!

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http://blog.port3101.org/hdawg/

The views expressed by me on Port3101 and its affiliated sites are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.

.

__________________
http://blog.port3101.org/hdawg/

The views expressed by me on Port3101 and its affiliated sites are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.

Hey Monkey! Miss you at BBF, but I think you'll really like it here

__________________
You may know me as Juwaack68

I'm glad someone misses something about BBF.

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http://blog.port3101.org/hdawg/

The views expressed by me on Port3101 and its affiliated sites are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.

Thanks. Got bananas?

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http://blog.port3101.org/hdawg/

The views expressed by me on Port3101 and its affiliated sites are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.

No, but I just had milk.

__________________
You may know me as Juwaack68

that plus some peanut butter on toast with bananas ... YUM!

__________________
http://blog.port3101.org/hdawg/

The views expressed by me on Port3101 and its affiliated sites are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.

There's our favorite Monkey. Time to put in a order for a crate of Banana's now.

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audit

WES 2009 updated with more info this morning.
Looks like the Monday & Friday all day training is on 5.0.
Same with the hands-on labs.

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DarthBBerry
BES Admin & Wireless Sith Lord
WES 2007, 2008, 2009 Survivor

I would love to attend but the company I work for are not heavily into BB and I'm not the admin Plus they're cheap and I'm the only tech with any knowledge of the systems. They can't afford to send me anywhere.

If I was still at RIM I would be setting up and supporting the labs, I left RIM before WES 2008. Too bad, I was looking forward to 10 days in Orlando on company time and money

For those of you that can go, enjoy it and I hope you have a blast. And try to learn something so it takes some pressure off of me from posting here and on BBF! LOL, just kidding.

You can cut your pressure in half right now.
Stop posting on BBF

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/is detecting a trend here

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audit

This is good and bad. I'd say good because this increases the odds f going, but bad because they may nickel and dime and not allow the training/labs add-ons.

If I get invited again by RIM/TMO, I am going to attend again. Else there is no chance for me to be in Orlando again.

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I will be at WES

I wont be.

Not enough value in it.

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Torch 9800 on BES 4.1.6 MR7, Exchange 2003, SQL 2005.
WES 2009-2010 Survivor

Hotel registration is now open. If you are questionable about going, like me, go ahead and reserve a hotel room. You can cancel if you later find out you won't be able to attend and no money is charged to your card until you check in. RIM's email had the wrong dates for the show (unless you wanted to stay there for a month), so I've altered it to be from Sunday to Thursday (you can update it as necessary, though).

Orlando Resort Hotel: World Center Marriott Florida Golf & Spa Resort in Orlando, Florida

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BCSA (4.1, 5.0) | BCSD (4.1, 5.0)

The views expressed by me on Port3101.org are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.

Booked... Now I just hope I can go.